Sani Knight
Talks Musical Journey, New Releases, and more!
LA-native Sani Knight is the artist who does it all. The 18-year-old up-and-coming artist seamlessly combines R&B, techno, pop, hip hop, and the sounds of his Middle Eastern background. With a style reminiscent of artists like the Weeknd and Drake, the rising star first hit the soundwaves just under a year ago, with 2020 seeing the release of his first single, “3 Digits.” Since then, Knight has released 9 more tracks including his most recent, techno-infused pop ballad “Too Deep.” With over 8k monthly listeners and a growing fanbase, Knight looks towards the future with his upcoming Heaven Seems So Far Away EP. We recently spoke to the artist about how a typical track of his comes together, how he feels the local music scene in LA has influenced his style, and more!
How did you get started making music?
I’ve been in love with all things music for as long as I can remember. In middle school, my friends and I would always freestyle for fun whenever we'd hang out. About a year ago, my friend and I decided to record a track on GarageBand from our phones using wired apple headphones and the microphone. After releasing that track, my sister’s ex-boyfriend (Bosquet) swiped up on my Instagram story and liked what he heard. He asked me to send some demos, and at the time, that’s all I had. I sent him a few of the memos, and after listening, he asked me to pull up for a session. The rest is history.
Your songs are an absolute vibe– Who are some of the artists that have shaped your sound?
When I was 11 years old, I remember going through the music on my sisters laptop and stumbled upon “Wicked Games” by The Weeknd. After listening to that, I then found Rolling Stone and Twenty Eight. The first song left my mind was blown. I was drawn to the emotion I heard in his music. Fast forward 2021, some artists that I would say have shaped my sound are The Weeknd, Lana del Rey, Justin Timberlake, The Neighbourhood, Brent Faiyaz, and Xxxtentacion.
How does the typical Sani Knight track come together?
Usually, I’ll just hit up Ahrya, D-SAB, or Nikoli when I feel like making music (which is everyday). I like to start from scratch, so we'll sit and put together a beat until we feel we can get something solid on it to go off of. After getting some vocals down, they’ll start adding, rearranging, or changing whatever we feel sounds best until we get the perfect track.
We really enjoyed “Dark Place”– Can you walk us through the inspiration for the track?
At the time the song was made, I wasn’t in a good place. I felt like everything around me was negative and I had no source of happiness. At the same time, these emotions gave me a feeling of comfort; like I was at home. During this time, I hit up Ahrya (Bosquet) and told him I have some things I wanna say and he had me come right over. We got the stems down and finished the song in the same week.
From “3 Digits” to “Leave Behind,” what do you feel has changed most about your music during this time?
“3 digits” was one of the first songs I made and my first release. I think with that song, it was more of a figuring out what I can do and how fast I can come up with a song. I started to understand my vocal range the more and more I worked on my craft. I can now make tracks like “3 digits” and like “Hollywood Girl”; oh wait, that isn’t out yet. I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.
What’s one Sani Knight lyric that best describes your life at the moment?
I feel like I'm in a dream, but I can’t get away from this dark place.
You live in LA! Do you feel that the local music scene has influenced your style at all?
Definitely! Growing up around Melrose/Fairfax and the surrounding areas have surely helped me grow into who I am today. This includes the cloths I wear, the music I make, and the way I carry myself. Also Ahrya, D-SAB, Nikoli, and Elliott are all located around me and they have all been a huge inspiration.
What are some things you enjoy doing outside of the studio?
I’ve learned to enjoy spending time by myself doing whatever I can to get my creativity out. I enjoy writing my thoughts down, going on walks, listening to music, and spending time with friends/family.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Having a Plan B just means you’re not confident in Plan A.
Lastly, what can we expect from you for the rest of 2021?
I have a few more singles dropping in the next few months that I'm excited for everyone to hear.